xkcd

[click for full image]

Um. Does anyone else see the resemblances? Because I do these things and conclude the same thing every day of my life, hahaha.

buffy on ice

... is the show I WISH I saw tonight. "Magic on Ice" was more like a couple sparklers and overenthusiastic, anticlimactic figure skaters set to cheesy music. 

On the other hand, to help me through my trying times of stupidity and lamesauciness, I've decided to make some new friends. They go by the names of Buffy, Giles, Willow, Xander, and Angel. You should join us. They're pretty awesome. Particularly the 90s grunge rocker chic-ness of it all. Ahh, the 90s, how I love you so.

Oh, and by the by, I read Still Alice a bit ago which got better as it went along. Now I'm reading Proust was a Neuroscientist by Jonah Lehrer. I say "reading" but it's more like I've set it aside for the time being to make room for "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," "Planet Earth" and now Buffy. I'll get back to reading in Kuwait, where even dial-up goes to die a slow, slow death.

ugh

Can I tell you all how pathetic I am? Possibly the most pathetic person on earth. I'm really kind of sick of myself right about now. This is getting ridiculous.

abu dhabi

Other than the glorious weather of 1000% humidity, the coolest (ha) thing in Abu Dhabi is that the green man actually physically walks. Like, in case you forgot how while you were waiting at the curb for the red hand to disappear and grant you movement once more. 

I guess the other coolest thing is that it brought me within driving and meeting distance of Liam, which is always spectacular.

Also, it's just cool to be in the midst of a city that's building itself up literally as I type, with the aim of "Abu Dhabi 2030." It's like I'm sitting right in the centre of this city's full hope and faith in the future, which is quite ... refreshing.

a first, a second & the northern quarter

It took me a while to figure it out after I got my grades. So my overall year average was a 67, which is a 2:1, which is what my mother graduated with and what I have as a jumping off point. I failed not a single module second semester (screw you, biochemistry! and suck it, pharmacology!) I didn't do as amazingly well as, of course, most people would hope to do (I imagine), but I done good. Actually, to be honest, I wasn't happy with my grades until I worked it out that since I had a 64 first semester and now overall a 67, I must have gotten in the second semester ... a 70! A FIRST! That's the bottom of the bottom of the bottom of a first but I got it. It may have even been a 69.5 but I'm still happy with myself. Which makes me wonder where my standards have gone because I have always been the annoying person who gets the 98 and thinks, SO CLOSE DAMMIT. But I must readjust. I've come into an entirely new educational system, which in its first year is really like I've come into second year and I came out mostly, academically unscathed. Meh. I'll let my standards realign for that one.

Now, all year I've wondered where, if anyone came to visit, I would take my friends to show them my Manchester. I think I've yet to find that spot but I am willing to bet it's going to be the Northern Quarter and Deansgate. The Northern Quarter is always very quiet and empty whenever I'm there but it's got the best shops ever and I don't understand why it's not thronging with people. It's that area of town that you don't frequent that much but when you do, you always think, "I should come here more often." The vintage shops, the record stores, the hidden chippy, Affleck's Palace or Place or whatever it is. The art store, oh my goodness the art store. The Bead Shop. And then there's Deansgate where all the ridiculously expensive flats are and the high end shops and the pretty restaurants and it just doesn't seem like part of Manchester. Plattfield Park, down in Fallowfield, is nice too. We'll go there when you come visit, even on a rainy day.

Thinking back, I think I kind of wasted my first year being miserable. Like I should have explored more because I keep thinking, since in second year I'll be more settled, I'll make more of an effort to get out of Gabs. But you're supposed to do that in first year because you have time because, who cares, you're just a fresher. I wasn't ready for it, for what I'd have to deal with, living away from home, living in the UK. Who'da thunk? But everyone here thinks I love it. Which makes me wonder if I've just gotten really good at faking it or if I think that I still have to fake it and that's the real reason I don't think I like it. Was that a little too convoluted? I'm sorry, but it does make sense. Somehow.

We've just gotten home from a 4th of July barbeque with some family friends and it was really great to see them all again. My not-really-aunt gave me a large stack of delectable books to read and I can't wait to get started on them. My mom and sister are off watching the fireworks over the Rose Bowl but I really wasn't in the mood. So I'm at home with my brother and dad, who is packing because he is leaving tomorrow morning for Abu Dhabi. I already miss my dad. We went to yoga today, for the last time for 3 months. Yeah, I really really miss my dad. 

Anyways. Happy Fourth! Go listen to some Benny Benassi, his 'Rock N Rave' album. See you whenever.

Oh, and thank you, PostSecret for being my voice, always:

eat pray love

"People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that's holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then they leave. And thank God for it."

I have to say, I'm pretty lucky that since most of my soulmates are out and about and not with me, physically, I've been able to keep & treasure them in my life as though they've been here forever.

Also, a friend dropped this on my wall one day:

"it's not until you leave a place that you truly do start embracing the characters of the people who were there with you."

I love you guys.

a couple things

So much for see you in September. I think I've just become attached to the fact that I have an audience here and that's nice, to know people are out there who care what you say. I think that's why I could never keep a blog before now. I have something to say and someone to say it to. That sentence ended with a preposition but I can't be bothered to fix it. 

Anyways. I was reading Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and this sentence struck me:

That's the thing about a human life -- there's no control group, no way to ever know how any of us would have turned out if any variables had changed. 

Just never thought of it that way. This book is number 3 on my list and it's pretty good so far. It's been on my shelf for goodness knows how long but I've noticed that I keep reading books when I need to read them, when they mean something more to me. Funny how that works out. 

Oh and congratulations, self, I got my permit again today -- only one wrong, woop. Ugh, I hate driving... But to reward myself, I bought two blank canvases (Aaron Brothers was having a sale!), rented 3 films (Bride & Prejudice, Driving Lessons, and Paris, Je t'aime), aaaand oh wait that's it.

Last thing: while I'm proud of myself for having kept up this blog for the first year, I realise I didn't focus a ton on what I've started to like about Manchester, which I probably should do. Less of school abroad and more of just abroad. I think I'll take a day out next week to pop back in and rack my brain for something, ha. Toodles.